Concerning raise, Members of Parliament in this part of the world can be said to have “gladly” accepted the historical 24% raise that brought their salaries to ₹1.24 lakh. The economy today, especially due to inflationary pressures, has seen the justification open to violent debate within political circles and public forums.
Structure Of Salary Changes
Earlier Members of Parliament were drawing salaries somewhat less than ₹1 lakh per month, and now the new proposal has come with a basic salary of ₹1.24 lakh a month-with that clear addition of ₹24,000 formed out of all other allowances and perks an MP enjoys-such as constituency allowances, office expenses, transport allowances, etc.
For Example:
- Basic Salary: ₹1.24 lakh (i.e., ₹1 lakh)
- Constituency Allowances: ₹70,000 (as is)
- Office Allowances: ₹60,000 (as is).
Thus, total monthly remuneration for MPs comes to more than ₹2.5 lakh.
Cause For Increase
Under a broader concept of salaries to public representatives based on “inflation, workload increase, price rise,” the government informs that this measure-I so it says-will be taken. Implementation greatly depends upon the recommendations of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in discussion with the Finance Ministry in which approval will hence be given by the concerned authorities. The pay increase will be put into effect sometime from April 2025 after the close of the financial year.
According to FinMin Nirmala Sitharaman, “Necessary adjustments in compensation ensure our public representatives perform their duty efficiently and independently without financial concern.”
Public And Political Reaction
The salary increase was met with mixed reactions across various social media platforms:
- The Supporter says: Members of Parliament should be well-paid, as they have a lot of ‘serious’ responsibilities.
- The Opposition argues: Why raise it now since it is really tough after such arduous and long recovery for just about every sector?
The arguments and counter-arguments are rife in every nook and corner of the social media platforms, where MP salary hikes are, many a time, decried, while conveniently forgetting that general government employees are still waiting for the 8th Pay Commission to be implemented.
Conclusion
Corruption, fairness, and equality in the salary systems of the government will be debated for an extended time, and the rise will be clouded by the questionable economic situation under which they have been announced. Considering that the increase will come into effect from April 2025, the government will, therefore, need to justify to all and sundry how it will reconcile such increases with its other major fiscal priorities.
Also Read: 2025 Salary Hike Update: India’s Pay Growth Declines To 8.8%